Curie's First Love
by Kiki242
Summary: Nora always tries to do the right thing especially do right by the people she cares about. But trying to ignore her budding feelings for a certain new synth is proving to be easier said than done
1. Chapter 1

Nora put all her might on focusing on the 10mm pistol she was moding, doing her best to not to stare at the new Curie. Because the new body, with the accent that turned from cute to something a bit more appealing, was turning out to be a dangerous combination. Yet, Curie stood a few feet away, watching with keen interest as Nora worked on a new receiver for the pistol. Nora could feel her curious stare quite intently but refused to look up and meet her eyes. "What are you working on, madam?" The question was asked with a soft French lilt and a slight tilt of the head.

Still not looking up, Nora answered. "A gun for you, Curie. I can't have you running around with nothing but your fist". Nora received a soft "ah" in response and silence fell over them once more. The gun wouldn't be much for now, but until they reached Sanctuary or at least one of her settlements, it would have to do.

"I do not know how to shoot a gun, Nora", Curie confessed after a time.

Sighing softly, Nora finally looked up from her work and met the new synth's gaze. "I know. But I'm going to teach you",

"Really?" Curie asked, her eyes bright at the thought of learning and experiencing something new.

The Sole Survivor couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm, "of course I will. I'm just about done with the modifications and then I will give you a few quick lessons. Then once we reach Sanctuary, the real teachings will begin". Nora then went back to the task at hand and within fifteen minutes, she was finish. The entire time, Curie was either watching her work or being fascinated with the act of breathing. When Nora turned to her to show Curie the final product, she discovered the robot taking deep breaths and holding them in as long as she possible.

Nora smiled at the display and couldn't help but tease her a little, "You know, there is a reason there is the saying of easy as breathing".

Curie stopped mid-exhale, a blush coloring her cheeks. She began to breathe normally as she replied, "must you tease me so?"

"You make it too easy," Nora replied. She held the pistol out for Curie to take. Curie looked down at the weapon curiously before taking it with hesitation. She weighed it in her hands, turning it which way and about. A sense of nervousness bubble up in the pit of her stomach. This was totally different from anything she had ever did with her laser gun, there was also the factor of being aware of the danger of guns and how people have hurt themselves and others with them unintentionally. She didn't want to damage her new body in any way and become more familiar with the experience of pain. She most certainly didn't want to hurt the woman before her, who was becoming quite fond to her.

"Madam", she began softly, turning her eyes away from the gun and to her companion, "I must admit, I feel how do you say….. uneasy about this".

Nora gave her a reassuring smile, "don't worry, Curie. I will teach you about all the safety precautions to take. First one, always check to see if the weapon is loaded or not".

At that, Curie looked down at the weapon in confusion before checking the butt of the gun to see that the magazine was missing. She looked up to meet Nora's knowing gaze as she continued on, "You should also always keep the safety on unless you intend to use your gun. Same goes for pointing it at people". Curie nodded and sought out the safety. Nora stepped in and pointed out its location to the synth. She then took the gun into her own hands and aimed down the sights. She ensured to keep the correct posture of aiming and keeping her hands steady, as she gave instructions on how to aim and shoot accurately.

Afterwards, Nora gave the gun back to Curie, allowing her to try it out for herself. As she did, Nora gave critique and corrected her on her mistakes. Her form wasn't perfect but it was good enough, and Nora didn't feel comfortable with staying in some shack alongside the road for too long. The rest of the lessons would have to wait until they reached a much more secure place. With such a thought in mind, Nora slipped a magazine into the gun and handed a few over to Curie for her to put into her leather chest piece.

With that settled, the pair began to truck down the road, heading northeast to Sanctuary. They walked silently for the most of it and that left time for Nora to truly dwell on the change of Curie and her reactions to it, her totally inappropriate reactions. Given her own multitude of problems and Curie being so new to the experience of being a human was a recipe for an awful situation, specifically for Curie. Nora refused to be that selfish, especially in a world that was sweltering with it.

Nora spared a sideways glance at her companion and once again took stock of how beautiful her new body was. She also took in how Curie seemed to focus on putting one foot in front of the other, still trying to adjust to walking. It was slowing them down considerably but Nora wasn't going to make such a dramatic transition any harder. She was going to give Curie all the time she needed. She was also going to give her all the protection she could. Curie wasn't in much of a position to protect herself from all the dangers of the wasteland. But Nora vowed to teach her all the ways to protect herself. Nora also made the promise to ensure that no harm would come to her.

Sighing away her thoughts, Nora turned away from Curie and began to use the VATS in her Pip-boy, scanning for any possible threats. They went for miles without the aiming system picking anything up, much to Nora's relief. It was starting to get dark and Nora didn't want to push their luck. They ended up taking shelter at a railroad station that was set with a cooking station and a few sleeping bags. After ensuring that the station was safe, particularly from ghouls, Nora decided to cook up something special to celebrate the special occasion, deathclaw steak. Settled into some patio chairs, they ate their dinner with some nuka-cola to swallow it down.

Curie picked up a piece of her cooked deathclaw and looked at it inquisitively before plopping it in her mouth. It was her first time eating and the experience of taste blew her away. Her eyes widened in surprise and she found herself enjoying the way the cooked meat tasted. She pulled it from her mouth and looked at the sole survivor with excitement, "eating is incredible, madam. I see why you humans indulge in it so",

That earned a laugh from Nora, "you haven't eaten anything yet. You just tasted it. You've gotta chew and swallow".

Curie's brow furrowed, something that Nora was quickly finding to be adorable, and stared down the piece of meat. Seemly using all her concentration, she plopped the piece of meat back into her mouth. Nora began to exhibit the act of chewing, slowly moving her jaw up and down (while keeping her mouth closed of course). Hesitantly, Curie began to follow her example and chew her food. After a time, Nora showed her how to swallow, doing so herself in an exaggerated manner. Once again, Curie mimicked her companion, she closed her eyes and took a huge gulp.

The sensation of the food going down her throat was perplexing and slightly off-putting. Part of the new synth was worried she would choke. But the food made its way down her pharynx and into her stomach. Curie slowly opened her eyes as realization dawned on her that she hadn't choked and gave Nora a bright toothy smile. Nora couldn't help but smile back before taking a swig of her nuka quantum.

As Nora went back to her plate, Curie became aware of how she seemed to be enthralled with the physical appearance of her friend. From her tanned skin, determined set jaw, intense focused eyes, and her kind smile. Curie really appreciated that kind smile. It made her feel safe and stable in a way. Something she desperately needed after such a dramatic change. From the time, Curie, had met Nora to the vault up until now, the Sole Survivor had proven herself to be a reliable companion. A better description for it would probably a good friend.

"Are we friends, madam?" Curie asked suddenly, taking Nora by surprise.

Nora set her bottle down and gave the synth a sweet smile, "of course we are, Curie. That's what I like to think of us at least". Nora was honest in her answer. She saw Curie as a kind-hearted friend. A beautiful, kind-hearted friend, who was totally off limits for such type of thinking. The trek back to Sanctuary was going to be a long one with her treacherous thoughts and whatever else they ran into.

"Good", Curie replied with a smile. "I think of us as the same way, madam. I must say that my view of you changed. I guess this is what truly caring for someone is like", Curie explained. Her face then became crestfallen as she thought of the doctors who she did her research with, "my colleagues were my friends as well, going by my feelings of grief as you called them".

Nora looked at her sympathetically. The spectrum of human emotions could be overwhelming for those who lived with them for their entire lives. There was no telling what it was like for someone so new to the experience. Curie looked down at her plate and found herself no longer wanting to eat. She set her plate aside and simply stared down at her hands, feeling moisture gather in her eyes.

As the sadness of those she lost all those years ago, fell upon her, for the first time in her existence, Curie's vision began to blur. She brought up a hand to clear her eyes and that was when it dawned on her that she was crying. The new revelation did little to quell the heaviness in her heart and a sniffle escaped her. Hearing the sound, Nora jumped from her seat and pulled Curie into a comforting hug. Curie allowed herself to be engulfed in the warm embrace. She buried her face in Nora's neck and wrapped her arms around her, "I did not consider the emotional aspect of being human", she explained, her voice muffled and filled with tears.

Nora tightened her arms around Curie and placed a soft kiss on the top of her head. She was once again reminded of how vulnerable Curie was and became even more determined to help ease her through the transition of being alive. "Having emotions can suck from time to time", she replied softly, "losing people is one of the most painful things you can experience but it does get better". Curie didn't say anything in return as more tears escaped her eyes. They stood there for a time holding each other as Curie cried silently.

Eventually, the tears stopped and Curie found her eyes to be sore and her eyelids heavy. She ended up yawning rather loudly, drawing a chuckle from Nora. "Somebody's sleepy", the vault dweller said in a sing-song voice.

Curie let out a wet laugh and took a step back from Nora, wiping her eyes, "I believe so, my eyes feel drained".

Nora smiled softly at her, "why don't you call it a night? It's been quite the day for you". Curie agreed and Nora led her over to the sleeping bags. Once there, Curie looked down at the old, dusty bags with uncertainty. She then looked up to the taller woman with the question shining in her eyes. Nora's heart melted a little at how innocent Curie looked at that moment but swallowed the feelings down to assist Curie with the new hurdle.

"There's nothing to it", she began "all you have to do is lay down and close your eyes. It won't happen immediately but eventually your brain will just shut off".

Curie took the advice to heart and heaved a sigh. She climbed into the sleeping bag and looked up at her companion expectantly, waiting for her to climb in her own bag that was a few inches away. "We'll be switching roles tonight. I'm going to keep watch while you sleep", Nora clarified, referring to how she would sleep while Curie kept watch in her Miss Nanny form.

"But this is different, yes? You need sleep as well", Curie stated with a frown. She didn't like the idea of Nora doing something at her own expense for her.

Nora shook off her worries, "don't worry about it, Curie. Just sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite".

The saying caused some confusion for the scientist. She sat up on her elbows with a frown, "Madam", she began but was stopped by the shake of the head from Nora.

A small grin made its way onto Nora's face. It was a marvel that a scientist could be so adorable. "I'll explain it to you later. Good night, Curie", she finished softly.

After a minor moment of hesitance, Curie nodded her head and laid back down, "goodnight, madam". She closed her eyes and attempted to sleep. Curie found herself being more tired than she thought and for the first time ever, she found slumber quickly. Nora on the other hand pulled out a chair, placed it at the entrance of the station, and sat down with her sniper rifle in hand (she also had her pistol on her hip and shotgun at her side).

It was going to be a long night, that much Nora knew. She just hoped that nothing would come along to make it even worse. With some luck, she might be able to catch a few Zs. Nora could already feel the sleepiness seep into her bones and had to stifle a yawn. To distract herself from her tiredness, she shot a glance over at her sleeping companion. Curie was facing her way and snoring softly, a sign of an exhausted body. Nora stared at her beautiful face intently and her heart shot up in her throat before she forced it back down. She abruptly turned her head away and put her focus back on the wasteland.


	2. Chapter 2

Well, for this site, this has been a long ass time. I thought that it wasn't getting attention here and that people didn't care about it. Then, I checked it today to see that people had actually followed it and left a few reviews. So, here is the second chapter and know that I am working on a third. will not get left behind again :)

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Nora lightly shook Curie, awaking the scientist. Curie slowly opened her eyes, and immediately had the urge to go back to sleep. Her eyelids were heavy, and her senses were groggy. The experience of waking up for the first time was jarring and quite unpleasant. But the soft smile Nora greeted her with made it a little better, as well as the look in her eyes, it was something that Curie couldn't quite place, but it left a warm sensation in her stomach.

"Good morning, Curie. It's time to wake up," Nora said softly. She then helped Curie up into a sitting position and gave her room to get her bearings. Curie stretched, yawned, and rubbed her eyes, willing the heaviness in her lids to go away. Nora crossed her arms and took in Curie's actions, finding them to be adorable, just as everything that Curie did was cute to her, even when Curie was a robot. She had a genuine innocence to her and mixed with Curie's desire to learn and makes discoveries, it made the scientist a ball of absolute cuteness, something that could melt Nora's heart.

Curie stood and stretched some more. She then noticed how Nora was observing her, and looked at her curiously. She then frowned in concern when she took in the tired look in Nora's eyes and the dark circles under them. "You did not sleep last night."

Nora simply shrugged, "I had to keep watch."

"But you need rest as well, Madam."

That earned Curie a smile, the marine being moved by her concern, "I'll get some rest when we get back to Sanctuary," Nora stated.

But Curie looked skeptical, knowing the importance of sleep to humans, and that Nora was not going to be at her best, travelling on no sleep. Her senses, alertness, and reflexes were going to be completely shot. Travelling like that through such a place like the Commonwealth was ill advised, and Curie was aware of how little help she could provide if they ran into trouble.

"You should at least take a nap, I will awake you if anything occurs," Curie suggested. But Nora shook her head.

"I'll be fine, running on no sleep has never stopped a jarhead before; and we need to head out ASAP to ensure we make it back before nightfall," Nora explained.

That really didn't convince Curie, but she decided not to argue further, thinking it was best to follow Nora's word in such matters. But her medical knowledge ate away at the back of her mind, telling her how depleted Nora was going to be on such a dangerous trip. Still, the duo gathered their things and headed out.

One thing the bombs didn't take away from the planet was the changing of the seasons, something Nora was thankful for. She loved the cooler times of the year, in particular the fall. It took away the scorching sun without bringing the frigid cold of winter, it was also one of the things that made her basic training bearable.

Fall was slowly coming upon them, and it made the long walks they endured easier, and considering how bone tired Nora felt, she didn't think she could take a walk under a summer sun. She was running on fumes, and it was noticeable that Curie was worried. She kept giving her worrying glances, and asked a few times if Nora wanted to stop. But Nora rejected the offers, wanting them to keep trucking for a few different reasons. Part of it was getting home as soon as possible, but another part of it was that she didn't want to seem weak. That had always been one of her biggest flaws, trying to be the toughest woman to come out of Boston, and having someone she was attracted to near her only made the flaw worse. She did some stupid things in her younger days to impress some girl or guy she was crushing on.

After receiving one more worrying glance, the marine let out a sigh, "I'm fine, Curie," she reassured.

Once again, Curie was doubtful. Their pace had continuously slowed throughout the day, Nora obviously could barely keep her eyes open, and there was a noticeable drowsiness to her words. Luckily, they were coming upon Concord, which meant they were about an hour or so from their destination. But the snail's pace they were going would make the rest of the journey longer, and nightfall was slowly creaking upon them, something they both realized.

Nora's shoulders slouched even more in defeat, and she sighed tiredly. She felt ready to give in and just stop to catch some Zs. She had been up for well over 36 hours and her body was starting to fade on her. She half feared she would fall asleep while walking, and land right on her face. But they were so close, and there was no way she was going out like a wimp in front of Curie. And so they trucked on, and reached their destination well after nightfall.

As they came upon the bridge that led into Sanctuary Hills, Dogmeat ran out to greet them, his tail wagging in excitement.

Nora smiled and kneeled to greet him, and immediately being attacked with eager kisses. She scratched him behind the ears in return, and gave the german shepherd pats on the head, all the while making sickly annoying baby noises at him. Curie watched the display with interest, intrigued by the feeling within her chest. She couldn't help but smile at Nora's behavior and Dogmeat's obvious delight in being reunited with his owner.

Her eyes then widened in surprise and partly apprehension as Dogmeat took notice of her. He sniffed towards her, unsure of this new stranger. Nora looked up at her a smiled encouragingly, nudging with her head for Curie to greet him. Tentatively, Curie held out a hand towards the dog, and let him sniff it. He did so, and seemed to decide that he liked Curie, and gave her hand a lick.

The ticklish sensation made Curie giggle, something that made Nora smile even warmer. Curie gave him a scratch behind the ears, mimicking Nora. Dogmeat hummed appreciatively and came to her fully, and jumped on his hind legs in hopes of reaching her face to give her kisses. But his weight and eagerness nearly sent her toppling, before she righted herself. "Down, Dogmeat," Nora commanded sternly as she stood.

The dog reacted obediently and quickly went back to all fours, bowing and whimpering guiltily. Nora gave Curie an apologetic look, seemingly embarrassed over Dogmeat's misbehavior. But Curie herself hadn't minded it that much. "It's quite alright, Madam. Dogs are always excited to meet new people."

"Still I'm sorry about that, I should've known he was going to react that way."

Curie brushed off her apology and started walking towards home, "no harm was done and there are more important matters at hand, like getting you to bed".

That was something that Nora could agree with, and she took off after Curie, albeit at a much slower pace. Dogmeat trotted happily at her side, already over his earlier transgression.

Walking into the former home complex, they spotted, Preston Garvey keeping watch in one of the high towers. He tipped his hat towards them at first, before realizing he didn't recognize the woman accompanying his general. Curious, he climbed down to greet them. "

"Evening, Monsieur Garvey," Curie greeted him.

Upon hearing the accent, he looked completely baffled, his eyes going as wide as saucers, "Curie?"

An excited smile spread across her face as she held her arms out wide, showing off her new body, "in the flesh."

Preston looked back and forth between both women, unable to form the words to ask the question.

"It's a long story, Preston," Nora explained.

He finally gave her his full attention, and noticed how dead tired she looked in the eyes and could sympathize. He had done his own share of missing out on sleep for days on end. The explanation could wait for tomorrow. "I'll leave you two to it," he stated before heading back to the watch tower.

Nora smiled at him gratefully. She always appreciated his empathetic nature, something that was desperately needed in this world. Being so close to her bed, Nora allowed herself to yawn, something she had fought doing all day. Curie herself, was finally feeling the long day's trek catch up to her and let out one of her own.

The marine took notice of it. "Les get you to bed," she remarked, reaching down to give Dogmeat a pat. She then walked Curie over to one of the large housing areas that contained beds (which she had built with her own hands) and bid her goodnight. Before she could walk back to her house, Curie called out to her. Just as she turned around, Nora was encased in a tight hug. A took a second before she returned the embrace, a content smile crossed her face. She wasn't sure what the cause of the hug was, but she was more than happy to accept it nonetheless.

Curie hugged her even tighter and buried her face in the marine's shoulder. "I just wanted to thank you for giving me such a gift, this body, human ingenuity," she explained, emotion evident in her voice.

"It was nothing, Curie, and you are most certainly welcome." Nora then pulled back and looked down into Curie's gaze that was overflowing with sincerity. She couldn't stop her eyes from drifting down to Curie's lips, and internally marveled at how soft they looked. Such thinking, and the action itself lasted but for a second before Nora got ahold of herself. She was in deep, deep trouble. "Goodnight, Curie".

Quickly, Nora broke the contact between them and made a beeline for her own home with Dogmeat by her side. She didn't slow down until she was inside her house and the door was firmly shut behind her. She leaned against it, with closed eyes and let out a sigh. Dogmeat let out a curious whimper that caught her attention. She looked down at him to see him sitting, and looking up at her, almost with a question in her eyes. "She's beautiful, isn't she, boy?"

That earned her another curious whimper, along with an adorable head tilt. She ruffled his head, and started off towards the bedroom, shedding her armor and weapons as she went. She was only left in her underwear and her trusty 10 mm pistol on her person before she collapsed face first onto her bed, and was out like a light the moment her head hit the pillow.

Considering all the horrors that Nora had seen since waking up, things such as her husband's murder, death all over the place, and monsters horrific enough to turn the people from her time white, it was a no brainer that she had her fair share of nightmares. But tonight, she dreamed wonderfully. In her dreams, she felt the sensation of slim fingers running through her hair, pale skin beneath her lips, and her name being moaned in a French accent.

She slept for well over 12 hours, which worried some of her comrades. Curie was sent to check on her, and the image that was presented to her in the master bedroom, was striking to say the least. Nora was out like a light, splayed about on her stomach. And there was so much of her, for Curie to see. Curie's eyes meticulously drifted over her form, drinking in her mocha skin, muscled frame, and scars.

Curie's mouth went dry, and unbeknownst to her, her eyes dilated as well. Nora, in this predicament was….. stimulating in a way. The scratching sound of Dogmeat's claws hitting the floor broke her out of her trance like state. The loyal dog went right past her and jumped on the bed to wake Nora up with kisses. Nora woke with a start the moment he touched the bed. She instinctively whipped out her pistol from, under pillow and aimed it at him. He was unfazed by this and went on about his business of licking her in the face.

Nora relaxed and let out a sigh of relief, and embraced him, "I almost blew your brains out, boy."

"Madam," Curie began hesitantly, still reeling from the picture that a barely dressed Nora was.

Nora looked up at her in surprise, finally taking note of her in the room, as well as her tone. It was strange and the look in Curie's eyes was even more baffling. If Nora chose a word to describe it, it would be heated. She swallowed thickly, and took in her state of dress. She became self-conscious, and used Dogmeat as a way to shield her body from Curie's wondering gaze. Her cheeks heated up and she partly wondered how long Curie had been standing there, gawking at her. "What is it, Curie?"

"The others were worried about you. You've been asleep for quite some time, and it well over due that you eat and give your body sustenance"

Nora nodded, "alright, just give me a second to get dressed."

Curie gave her one last strange gaze before giving her some privacy. Once she was gone, Nora let a breath, uncertain how to feel about the encounter with Curie. She was almost certain that Curie had been checking her out, and it seemed that she liked what she saw, a thought that made the marine smile as she got up to get ready for the day.

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So, there it is. Please leave a review telling me what you think and how I can improve.


	3. Chapter 3

As promised, the next chapter. I hope you all enjoy.

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With Dogmeat trotting by her side, Nora went to join the others. They were all surrounding the cooking station, lounging in patio chairs enjoying lunch. The meal of the day was noodles. Nora's stomach grumbled, and she realized Curie had been right, it had been some time since she last ate. With that thought in mind, she quickened her pace. As she came upon them, Curie stood to greet her with a bright smile and a bowl of noodles.

Nora returned her smile, "thank you," she said as she took the bowl.

"Your welcome, Madam. I hope you feel well-rested, you went quite some time without proper sleep."

Nora nodded, "I feel good enough to get back at it again", she replied. She then took a seat, taking no time to dig into her noodles.

Curie sat beside her, frowning in disapproval. "It would be best for you to rest today, Madam."

With a mouthful of noodles, Nora shook her head before taking a moment to swallow, "no can do. There's too much to do out there."

Which I'm certain will be there tomorrow, and the day after that", Curie argued.

"I'll be fine, Curie," Nora replied through another mouthful. That didn't satisfy the scientist, but she opted not to argue further. It was apparent that she was not going to change Nora's mind, and she would have to learn the hard way about exhaustion.

With that issue settled, the group consisting of Preston, Piper, Nick, Cait, and a few Minute Men began discussing some of the problems hitting the settlements and the calls that they had received from people throughout that needed help. During the conversation, Curie rarely added anything, opting to observe. Human behavior fascinated her, perhaps even more so now that she was one.

Her eyes drifted towards Nora, and she thought of what occurred earlier in Nora's house. On the science side of it, Curie was no stranger to the human sexual experience. It was why she could identify what she had been feeling in that moment. But no amount of textbook knowledge could prepare her for actual experience of being attracted to someone. As she looked back on it now, she probably made a fool of herself, just standing there and staring dumbly.

That line of thought made her feel awkward and uncomfortable, and unbeknownst to Curie, her face reddened. Whatever Curie was feeling, she didn't like it. It made her feel weird and made looking at Nora hard. It also had her wondering how the marine had perceived that incident.

Her discomfort didn't go unnoticed, her blush being a large signal of it. It caught the attention of the Irish redhead. "You okay there, Curie?" she questioned with a raised eyebrow. Her inquiry brought the entire group's attention to the scientist, making whatever she was feeling worse.

She reacted by closing in on herself, wrapping her arms around her body. Her eyes went to the floor as she felt everyone else's boring into her, "I'm fine," she mumbled.

"Are you sure? You look like you're embarrassed," Nora commented amusingly.

So that was what she was feeling, embarrassment. Curie hoped she would never feel this way ever again, "I am fine, Madam," Curie lied once again.

It was rather unconvincing, but Nora decided to let it rest and not push Curie to talk. She turned her attention back to everyone else, and the discussion continued. At the end of it, she decided that she, along with Preston and Piper would be heading Covenant, a place that they were suspicious of.

Curie disagreed with the plan as she didn't like getting left behind, she needed to be out there in the world, gaining experience and making scientific discoveries. She voiced her opinions to Nora after the meeting, to which she got a soft, sympathetic smile. Something within her melted at the sight.

"I know you're ready to head out there, but I want you to be prepared. You need to be trained,"

Curie's shoulder's deflated. That made it sound like a long time before she would be able to leave Sanctuary for a while. "How long will that take?"

Nora exhaled slowly as she mulled it over. She hadn't really compiled a training regimen for Curie quite yet, just mainly knowing it was necessary and that the biggest thing was her learning how to shoot a gun. "I don't know, three months maybe?" Nora guessed, basing her estimation on the amount of time her basic training had took. The look of utter defeat in Curie's eyes made her feel awful, but she couldn't budge. Curie, as she stood now was not only a danger for herself but for everyone that traveled with them.

"That's a long time," Curie said sadly.

"I know but I promise that once its done, I'm gonna take you out on so many expeditions and give you so many missions that you'll be begging to stay behind," Nora promised.

Curie smiled excitedly, imagining all the data that she would be able to gather for her research. Her eagerness was infectious, and to be quite honest, Nora couldn't wait to have Curie out there by her side.

"When do I start?" Curie asked, ready to begin as soon as possible.

Nora scratched the back of her neck, still so unsure about Curie's training, "I haven't given it much thought yet, Curie," she admitted. "And I'm about to head out soon, there's no way we can start now."

Curie's elation died, making Nora feel awful. She racked her brain to remedy the situation, looking around desperately for a solution. Her eyes landed on Cait, and a plan sprung to life. It was important for Curie to learn how to shoot, but it was also important for her to learn how to defend herself with hand to hand combat, and who was better to teach her than the champion of the Combat Zone? Her style may not have been as polished or even as refined as Nora's militaristic training, but Cait was a damn good fighter. Her style was hard, brash, and effective.

Nora beckoned her over, and the redhead came to them, eyebrows raised in curiosity. "What's up, Nora?"

"We need a favor," Nora began. Cait looked between the pair intrigued, "I was wondering if you would lend a hand in training Curie".

Cait eyes widened in surprise as she gave the synth a bizarre once over.

Curie gave her a hopeful smile, "Please madam, I would certainly appreciate your help,"

"Why me?" Cait asked perplexed.

"You're the best fighter I've got, and I'm going to be away for a few day. Curie is ready to start her training ASAP," Nora explained.

Cait didn't look convinced, uncertainty clear as day on her face, "I've never been in charge of teaching someone before, I might not be much of a help to ya."

"I am certain you will be a great teacher, as you are highly praised for your fighting abilities," Curie retorted truthful but with a tinge of desperation.

Her expression made it hard to say no. There was a particular hopefulness there that pulled at Cait's heartstrings. She sighed as she relented, "fine, but I can't make any promises other than me best,"

Curie exploded with happiness, grabbing the redhead in a tight hug. Cait didn't return the embrace, rather standing stiffly and allowing herself to be hugged.

Nora smiled at the display, finding Curie's behavior endearing. She was also impressed with how far Cait had come. The woman she had met in the Combat Zone had softened considerably, Nora had rubbed off on her, and her drug habit now kicked helped her a lot. The Cait of old would have reacted harshly to the unwanted display of affection.

Starting to feel really uncomfortable, Cait pried the excited synth from her person and pushed her away at arm's length. She took a step back, putting even more distance between them before turning to Nora awkwardly. A slight blush decorated her features, displaying her embarrassment.

Nora found humor in it as she gave the redhead a grateful pat on the arm, "thanks for this, Cait. I owe you one,"

Cait shook her head, "you owe me nothing, you've done so much for me already."

"Well then, I will be in your debt," Curie interjected.

"You can pay me back once you start your research and making this hellhole better," Cait replied.

"Deal!" Curie exclaimed happily. Shen then clasped Cait by the forearm and started to drag her away, "let's start now!" she proclaimed.

As she was being pulled away, the redhead gave Nora an incredulous look over her shoulder. Nora shot her thumbs up and an encouraging grin. Cait huffed before turning her attention back to the excitable synth, allowing herself to be dragged to a clearing.

A little while later, Nora found herself getting ready for her trip, along with her companions. The trio of her, Preston, and Piper checked their weapons and supplies, in a house that had been designated as a cache. They went through things such as ammunition, food, and first aid. As they did so, Nora took in the behavior of her two friends, noticing how close they were, and how awfully friendly they were being. They were downright shamelessly flirting right in front of her. They seemed to be so absorbed into each other that they had even forgotten Nora was present.

"Can you two please stop it?" Nora questioned, cutting in on their flirtatious banter. They both froze, finally meeting Nora's eyes from across the table. Piper blushed badly while Preston took a big step sideways away from her.

"Sorry, General," he apologized awkwardly.

"Don't mention it," Nora replied, finishing up stocking her combat bag, glancing between the pair, "let's just stay focused and hit the road, shall we?"

It didn't take them long to leave Sanctuary and begin to head towards their Minutemen mission. The trio walked at a mild pace, everyone keeping a diligent eye on their surroundings. This trip, as compared to the one taken with synth Curie had Nora more at ease. She didn't have to be in the protector role as much and had two people she could depend on if anything came across them.

They were silent for the most part, which was fine with Nora. It allowed her to keep a keen eye out all the while allowing her thoughts to drift back to Curie. A contented sigh unintentionally escaped her. It drew the attention of both her companions.

Piper raised a quizzical eyebrow at her, "you good there, Blue?"

"I'm fine," Nora said sheepishly.

"You sure, General?" Preston inquired.

"I'm just thinking is all."

The other two continued to look at her questioningly but didn't comment on it further. Silence fell upon them again and Nora's mind drifted off again towards the scientist.

Her wondering mind made her fall back slightly from Preston and Piper. They didn't hesitate to take the chance to get even closer to each other and struck up conversation. Their behavior didn't go unnoticed by Nora and she marked it as something to discuss for later.

Back at Sanctuary, Curie's training had begun. Cait decided to start of with the very basics, teaching the synth how to stand properly, going over such things as protecting her jaw (aka the button), and keeping her arms tight to protect her ribs.

It was something that Curie easily caught on to, and so they moved on to the next step, punching.

Cait may have despised the saying but hitting like a girl was the best way she could describe the way in which Curie threw a punch. It was weak, uncoordinated, and constantly left the scientist open for a counterattack. That was the way in which she begun, and it took her a little longer get it down. But despite the slight difficulty, Curie was enjoying herself. She had always had a desire to learn and discover new things, and fighting was no different.

She also enjoyed learning from Cait. The redhead may have been a bit rough around the edges, but she was funny, and turning out to be a great teacher.

The day ended on a high note, Curie picking up the different methods and tactics well overall. They were the simple things, but it still gave Cait hope that Curie would make a formidable hand to hand combatant. Perhaps not as good as the redhead herself, but good enough to get herself out of the typical situation.

It was nearing sunset when they finally called it a day, and their stomachs were grumbling by that time. Together, they headed towards a cooking station where Cait made them some iguana on a stick.

"This is rather delicious, Madam," Curie commented between bits, as they sat around the huge cooking pot.

Cait gave a half smile, "you don't have to call me madam, Cait will just do."

Curie nodded quietly, and they continued eating in silence momentarily. "How did you meet Nora?" she questioned suddenly, breaking the silence.

Cait looked up from her half-eaten stick with surprised eyes, "she pulled me out of the Combat Zone, where she kinda won me. That was over 9 months ago, and I've been by her side since."

Curie nodded thoughtfully as she mulled over something Cait said earlier. "What did you mean by her owing you nothing?"

Cait froze, her eyes suddenly becoming cold. It made Curie uncomfortable and made second guess her words. "It wasn't my intention to intrude," she said apologetically.

Cait sighed as her body relaxed once more, "its fine, its just a touchy subject. I don't know you well enough to tell you."

That was enough for Curie, and she didn't push it. She may have been new to emotions and the total human experience, but she knew enough about boundaries, the experiences with her old colleagues taught her that. But she hoped to win Cait's favor enough one day to find out the answer.

The pair didn't talk for the rest of their meal, and politely parted ways afterward. It was still rather early, but Curie found herself to be pretty drained after training all day. She washed up and decided to head to bed early. Rather than head to one of the large housing buildings made for the general public of Sanctuary, she went to Nora's house. She didn't know what it was, but something called her there.

During her walk, she observed the different people of Sanctuary, those of the original group as well as those that Nora had saved during her journey, and others drawn in by the radio signal. Nora had built quite the community, one in which people worked together and helped each other. Certainly, there were going to be disputes as with any grouping of people, but it was nowhere near as hostile as other places. It was community and shown just how well humanity could work together. It was quite the contrast of Curie's old colleagues' warring ways.

At Nora's house, Curie immediately headed for the bedroom, where she found Dogmeat resting comfortably on the bed. Noticing her, he quickly jumped off the bed to greet her, bumping his nose against her thigh and giving her hand a lick. She his head some light pats before making her way to the bed.

As soon as she laid down, Dogmeat joined her, giving her face an excitable lick before curling next to her side. Curie lightly scratched him behind the ears as she took a tired deep breath, inhaling through her nose. The scent Nora wafted over her, it was something that was overwhelming yet comforting. It was also something that lulled her to sleep.

* * *

Well, there it is. Please leave a comment telling me what you like, what you didn't, and how I can improve


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